Body brace.



PATENTED JAN. 27, 1903. W. B. DEWEES.

BODY BRAGE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1902.

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Nirnn STATES ATENT ()FFICE.

\VILLIAM B. DEWEES, OF SALINA, KANSAS.

BODY-BRACE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 719,311, dated January 27, 1903.

Application filed June 18, 1902. Serial No. 112,215. (No model.)

To all whom it 11mg concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM B. DEWEES,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Salina, in the county of Saline and State of 5 Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Body-Braces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in bodybraces orsupports particularlydesigned to support the abdomen; and the object is to simplify and improve the construction and adaptation of body-braces.

The present improvements relate to the back-pads of the device, and the purpose is to distribute the pressure on the back of the wearer by providing four pads instead of two, resulting in greater comfort to the wearer and at the same time making the abdominal plate or pad to seat against the body without the tendency of slipping or moving upward. Experience demonstrates that the weight of the abdomen being carried or supported by an instrument with but a single back-pad on each of the terminals of the supporting-wire causes too much pressure at a single point or place to be comfortable for the wearer, and, besides, single pads are liable to slip from their desired and required positions. To overcome these deficiencies and to give additional support higher up on the back and at difierent lines on the muscles involved in the pressure, I provide two back-pads to each terminal of the body and hip wire and unite each pair of the pads by a fiat spring-plate having a particular shape and a central connection to the terminals of the wire.

With these objects and purposes in view the invention consists in the novel construction of parts and their arrangement and aggroupment in operative combination, as will hereinafter be fully specified and the novelty claimed and be particularly pointed out.

I have fully and clearly illustrated the improvements in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete device. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the back-pads, showing the fastening-straps in proper arrangement. Fig. 3 is a sectional view lengthwise through one-of the springs and centrally through the pads.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a perforated thin metal plate adapted to set against the lower portion or part of the abdomen. It may be provided with oppositelyarranged pads 1 2, made integral with the plate and adapted to serve as compressionpads, as may be required. The plate is secured to the body and hip wire 3 by ears 4, clamped around the wire at proper points, as shown in the drawings. In the plate are fixed oppositely disposed studs 5, to which the body-straps are detachably connected. The body and hip wire 3 has its limbs bent to conform to the contour of the body and hips, being arched to fit over the hips and extending .from the front upward and outward, thence around the hips and downward on the back to the point desired. To the ends of the wire 3 are secured springs 6 7, made of thin metal strips having their end portions curved in opposite directions, as shown, and their ends directed downward, as at 8, and secured centrally to the back-pads 9 by rivets, as shown in the drawings. The back-pads 9 are made of perforated disks of thin metal and formed with a turned-up annular flange 10. The flange 10 is recessed at 11, in which the springs seat and engage to hold the back-pads from turning on their fastening-rivets.

The springs 6 7 are secured to the ends of the body-wire by means of headed studs 12, fixed in the springsand about which the ends of the wire are coiled. fastening-straps, made, preferably, of nonelastic textile material of suflicient strength to withstand the strain to which they may be subjected. To the front end of each strap is detachably and adj ustably connected a buckle 15, formed with an extension 16, formed with a keyhole-slot 17 to engage over the heads of the studs 5 in the front plate A. The attachment of the back end of the strap is made to the studs 12 in the springs by means of links or apertured plates 18, and the fastening may be permanent. In the adjustment of the article to the body the straps 13 14 are passed under the opposite spring, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the elasticity of the springs will not be interfered with by the pressure and tension of the fasteningstraps.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 13 14 designate the 1. In a body support or brace, a front plate to support the abdomen, a body-wire secured to the plate with its ends terminating at the back, S-shaped springs secured to the terminals of the body-wire, back-pads secured to each end of the said springs, and fasteningstraps secured centrally to the springs and detachably and adjustably secured to the front plate, as set forth.

2. A body support and brace, comprising a front plate to support the abdomen and provided with studs projecting therefrom, a body and hip wire secured to the front plate and extending to the back of the wearer, fiat springs having their limbs curved in opposite directions, and secured at their middle to the ends of the body-Wire, metal disks constituting backpads, secured to the ends of the springs form ed with upturned annular flanges having a recess in their edges to engage over the body of the springs and hold the backpads against turning on their supports, and fastening-straps having one end secured to the studs in the middle of the springs and arranged to extend under the opposite spring with their other ends adj ustably and detachably connected to the studs on the front plate, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM B. DEWEES.

Witnesses:

R. P. CRAVENS, F. TWOHIG. 

